After the successful performance by Team USA at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, athletes have begun their next four-year training cycle, leading up to the competition at the Olympic Games in Tokyo in 2020. Athletes will also be focusing on qualifying for the IAAF World Championships in London this August. Financial support from the USATF Foundation significantly enhances each grantee’s approach to training, medical care and competition travel as they strive to represent the USA in London and Tokyo.

“One of the missions of the Foundation is to provide financial assistance in the form of grants to elite and soon-to-be elite male and female athletes based upon both performance and need. We are extremely pleased with the final results of the highly contested 2017 grants program which presented the Elite Athlete Development committee with difficult choices. Our continuing goal is to increase our grant program’s reach each year through fund raising activities in order to promote and support track & field from youth programs through the ultimate goal of representing the USA and being an Olympic medalist,” stated Foundation Director Wayne Vandenburg.

Recently the USATF Foundation announced a major gift from Foundation Director Stephen Schwarzman in the amount of $2.5 million to support elite athletes. These 55 Elite Athlete Grants are separate from that program. The Stephen Schwarzman Grants will be awarded later in the season after the USATF Outdoor Championships in Sacramento. Athletes that have applied for an Elite Athlete Development Grant will also be considered in the applicant pool for the Stephen Schwarzman Grants later this year.

55 dedicated athletes will be awarded Elite Athlete Development Grants from the Foundation.

Additionally, all of these athletes will have the opportunity to appear at various schools and community venues across the country in the USA Track & Field Foundation’s Run With US! program. In each Run With US! event, Olympic athletes and Olympic hopefuls inform kids on what it means to be a professional athlete and how setting goals and making healthy choices have impacted their lives. The program provides an opportunity for the athletes to give back to their community.

The USA Track & Field Foundation provides a means to attract and guide funds to new and innovative track & field programs with an emphasis on providing opportunities for youth athletes, emerging elite athletes and distance training centers. The Foundation depends upon donations from its Board of Directors, major gifts and from generous fans of track & field.

Elite athletes are supported by the Foundation via monetary grants and participation in Run With US! (www.runwithus.org). Youth athletes are supported via monetary grants to youth clubs.

Testimonials

I just wanted to thank you for awarding Bell Oaks Upper Elementary School a USATF Foundation Youth Grant. With your grant, we were able to purchase new, real uniforms and compete in 9 meets. The kids felt much more confident and excelled more this year. Thank you so much!